Even during their 7-3-2 run, the Flames have surrendered the first goal, trailed and needed a third-period rally on far too many occasions
On your mark!
Get set!
Whoa!
Welcome to the Calgary Flames’ method for getting out of the blocks.
As much as the Flames have plenty of reasons to boast confidence heading into Thursday’s home clash against the Dallas Stars, there are some glaring issues that must be addressed, and we are not only talking about the Putrid Power Play™ (currently on a 0-for-15 slump and a 1-for-32 sputter in the past 11 games).
The Flames have done a glorious job of cueing comebacks, four of them when trailing after 40 minutes, but that recipe eventually will become a disaster.
As the Flames (9-10-3) stare at an opportunity to reach the NHL’s version of .500 — and actually have a chance to vault back into a wild-card spot with a win against Dallas (13-5-2) — they are well aware a better start is necessary.
The numbers tell quite the tale, even in Calgary’s solid 7-3-2 run that pulled the team from the depths of the standings.
In those 12 games, the Flames have surrendered the first goal 10 times, trailed at any point of the game in all but one affair and trailed going into the third period on nine occasions.
This squad has scored first in nine of 22 games this season (surprisingly, the Flames have a middling 4-3-2 mark in this games) and led after two periods only four times (3-1-0).
“They believe they’re always in games,” Huska said, seeing the positive and the negative. “We’d like to play with the lead, more, flip that script a little bit and hold on to leads. I think they do have a belief in how we’re trying to play the game now.”